The present invention generally relates to medical devices, and more particularly to a peelable introducer that prevents inadvertent needle sticks.
In the medical arts, catheters are used to deliver medicament to a prescribed location within a patient's body. Such catheters are inserted into the lumen of an anatomical passageway (e.g., an artery or vein) with a peelable introducer. Typically, the introducer comprises a tubular piercing stylet with a beveled distal tip. The stylet is formed with two weakened areas along a longitudinal axis thereof. Additionally, attached to a proximal end of the stylet are two tab members that facilitate tearing of the stylet along the weakened areas, as will be further explained below. A flash chamber is removably attached and in fluid communication with the proximal end of the stylet. The flash chamber is fabricated from a translucent material and contains a hollow interior such that fluid (e.g. blood) flowing into the distal tip of the stylet is detected within the interior of the chamber.
The introducer is used by piercing the artery or vein with the distal tip of the stylet and thereby advancing such into the artery or vein of the patient. A proper insertion of the stylet into the vein or artery of the patient is indicated when blood is detected in the flash chamber. After blood is detected, the flash chamber is removed from the proximal end of the stylet and the catheter is then inserted into the stylet and snaked through the patient's artery or vein until the distal end of the catheter is in a desired location within the patient's body. Once the catheter is in a desired location, the introducer is removed from within the blood vessel of the patient and torn along the weakened areas into two halves with the tab members to remove the stylet from the catheter. As a result of the tearing of the introducer, the stylet is separated into two halves which are unprotected and can lead to inadvertent needle trauma to health care workers.
Increasingly, health care workers are at a risk of inadvertent needle trauma (i.e., needle sticks) when handling needles with sharpened tips. In recent years, such inadvertent needle trauma has become a cause for heightened concern in view of the increase in the incidents of serious or potentially fatal blood-born pathogens such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the hepatitis B virus. Therefore there exists an ongoing motivation to provide safety devices and apparatus for preventing health care workers from incurring inadvertent needle trauma when handling sharpened needles.
The present invention provides a peelable introducer which prevents inadvertent needle trauma after removal from the patient. In this respect, the present invention protects the health care worker by covering the tips of the stylet after removal from the patient and separation into two halves.